Ministers looking at removing standing charges from gas bills, Andy Burnham says
Ministers are actively exploring the removal of gas standing charges as households face cost-of-living pressures. The announcement follows news that UK inflation climbed to an 11-month high of 3.5%.
- Core Development: Ministers are actively exploring the removal of gas standing charges as households face cost-of-living pressures. The announcement follows news that UK inflation climbed to an 11-month high of 3.5%.
- Beat Context: Categorized under Cost of Living with independent corroboration.
- Reporting Depth: 3 minute analytical read synthesized from verified newsroom sources.
Ministers are actively considering whether to strip standing charges from domestic gas bills as households brace for a severe winter squeeze, according to Aol reporting on remarks made by Andy Burnham during Prime Minister's Questions. The revelation comes as official data confirms consumer price inflation has surged to an 11-month high, driven by geopolitical conflict in the Middle East that has sent motor fuel and wholesale energy costs spiraling across the British economy.
The latest Office for National Statistics figures revealed that headline CPI inflation climbed from 3.1% in August to 3.5% in September. According to Radio News Hub, the acceleration outstripped economists' consensus forecasts, marking the highest rate recorded in nearly a year. Similar concerns were highlighted by Newbury Today, which noted that supplementary measures like the CPI including Housing (CPIH) rose to 3.6% and the Retail Prices Index (RPI) hit 3.9%.
Media additions
Global instability has directly fueled the domestic price spike. As detailed by Streamline Feed and Yahoo Finance UK, the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran has severely disrupted international oil and natural gas supplies. Motor fuel prices rocketed by 30% in the year to September, with petrol up 26.5% and diesel registering a staggering 35.8% jump according to Yahoo News UK. These mounting logistics and factory gate pressures threaten to bleed directly into supermarket aisles.
| Inflation Measure / Index | August Rate | September Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer Prices Index (CPI) | 3.1% | 3.5% |
| CPI including Housing (CPIH) | 3.3% | 3.6% |
| Retail Prices Index (RPI) | 3.4% | 3.9% |
| Food and Drink Inflation | 1.3% | 1.3% |
Against this volatile backdrop, political fallout has intensified. During Prime Minister's Questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused the Labour Government of dithering over energy security following the delayed approval of the Jackdaw gas field, as reported by Aol. In response, Andy Burnham defended the pragmatic decision to approve the field while simultaneously announcing that Chancellor John Healey and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh have been directed to investigate scrapping gas standing charges.
Financial markets have reacted swiftly to the deteriorating inflation outlook. Writing in Fxstreet, analysts at Societe Generale pointed out that resilient private sector wage growth and stable labor dynamics—marked by unemployment falling to 4.7%—leave the central bank little room to pause. Martin Sartorius, lead economist for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), told Radio News Hub that an interest rate hike is now firmly on the table for the Bank of England's November meeting to prevent second-round wage-inflation effects from becoming embedded.
Households are also preparing for upcoming welfare and state pension adjustments tied directly to the September inflation metrics. Because the state pension triple lock relies on inflation, wage growth, or a 2.5% baseline, state pensions are widely projected to increase by 3.9% next year based on the highest underlying average earnings figures. Meanwhile, Chancellor John Healey pledged in Radio News Hub interviews to deliver breathing space in his upcoming autumn Budget statement.
What to Watch Next
- Autumn Budget: Chancellor John Healey is scheduled to deliver his fiscal statement next week, detailing potential interventions on fuel duty, energy support, and household taxation.
- Energy Price Cap: Gas and power suppliers anticipate further upward adjustments to the energy price cap heading into the winter heating season.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Key questions answered in this reportWhat is the key development in: Ministers looking at removing standing charges from gas bills, Andy Burnham says?
Ministers are actively exploring the removal of gas standing charges as households face cost-of-living pressures. The announcement follows news that UK inflation climbed to an 11-month high of 3.5%.
Why is this Cost of Living development significant for the UK?
This report covers critical events in our Cost of Living beat. Independent reporting monitors related UK statements, regulatory shifts, and public responses as further verified details emerge.
How was this reporting corroborated and verified?
Newsarchy UK compiles and cross-references reporting from primary reporting from Radio News Hub and cross-checked wire reports. All coverage adheres to published editorial standards.
When was this report published?
This briefing was published on October 21, 2026 and is permanently cataloged in the Newsarchy UK Cost of Living archives.
